Call for Qld rural services to be spared cuts

Rural lobby group AgForce says it is worried Queensland Government spending cuts may impact on the delivery of front-line services in regional areas.

Unions are concerned about mass job losses and will fund a $1 million advertising campaign against public service cuts.

AgForce policy adviser Dale Miller says while the group supports the Government addressing the state's debt problems, he says it cannot be at the expense of sustainable rural communities or a profitable agricultural sector.

"Certainly we are aware of belt tightening within the new Department of Agriculture," he said.

"We are certainly concerned that those cuts not come at the cost of front-line service delivery.

"We'd certainly prefer to see the Government taking steps to streamline bureaucracy and making sure that there's a reduction in unnecessary red tape which really does tie up the economy.

"At this stage it is only an interim report, only interim recommendations. We would be engaging with the Government in terms of making sure those cuts have minimal impact on rural and remote communities.

"We would certainly try to encourage the Government to avoid cuts that would cause disproportionate impacts on those smaller communities and smaller towns."

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